Leg day. Two words that trigger feelings of dread and aspirations for greater fitness results. Working out legs “hurts so good” due to the your lower half  housing some of the largest muscles in your body, with the gluteus maximus (your butt) being the biggest muscle of them all. These larger leg muscles require more energy compared to, say, chest or arms, creating a struggle to stay standing –especially the morning after…and the morning after that. The benefits of working out legs include an overall increase to your metabolism, which will help you burn more fat and build more muscle. For guys, you will also avoid the dreaded chicken legs and (word of advice), ladies like the look of strong legs and backsides. Strengthening your lower body is also one of the most functional areas to train for every day tasks, including getting up from bed to picking up your Amazon Prime boxes. Whether you are a beginner to the fitness world or a 20 year lifting veteran, these five key leg exercises will help ramp up your muscle building and fat loss results.

The Squat

The squat is the gold standard of working out your legs. When performed correctly, squats work out your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves and abs. In fact, the squat is one of the best workout for your abs.

Here’s how to perform a standard body weight squat:

1. Stand slightly past shoulder width apart with your feet pointed slightly outward.
2. Keep your abs tight and chest up as you squat down – for stabilization – and take a deep breath.
3. Squat down to slightly below a 90-degree angle, keeping the bend of your knees outward (make sure they don’t cave in to avoid injuring your knees).
4. As you squat up, drive off your heels keeping your chest up and abs tight, and exhale – make sure to keep your head looking straight and avoid looking up to avoid squeezing the spinal discs in your neck.
5. Perform 10-15 reps as a beginner and add weight (either through a barbell or dumbbells) as you get stronger.

The deadlift 

The deadlift is an optimum exercise that targets your hamstrings, calves, glutes, and back. This includes strengthening your lower back, which will help improve your other lifts, as well as your overall back health.

Here’s how to perform a conventional dumbbell deadlift:

1. Stand at hip-width with both dumbbells at your side.
2. As you bend downward, inhale, keep your abs tight and chest up (sticking your butt out). This ensures your back is straight.
3. As you lower the dumbbells, rotate so your palms are facing inward toward your legs. Lower all the way down to your shins, keeping your head in line with the rest of your body. Avoid arching your neck.
4. Slowly bring the dumbbells up, exhaling and maintaining form from step 2, so they end up back at your sides. For extra glute activation, squeeze your glutes when you are at the top movement.
5. Perform 10-15 reps with light to moderate weight and slowly progress with higher weight as you get stronger.

The lunge (forward and backward) 

If legs are the dread of every fitness enthusiast, then lunges take the trophy for the toughest leg exercise. You’ll be primarily targeting your hips, quads, glutes and abs with forward lunges targeting more of your quads and backward lunges primarily focusing on your hamstrings.

Here’s how to perform a standard body weight forward lunge:

1. Stand hip width apart with either your arms at your sides or crossed at your chest.
2. Take a step forward tightening your abs and pinching your shoulders blade to keep your back straight.
3. Lower your body until your thigh (from the activated leg) is parallel to the ground and your knee is just short from hitting the ground. Drive your leg up from your heel.
4. Repeat this with your other leg (alternating with each rep). Make sure your knees are always pointed forward and not caving in or out.
5. Perform 10-15 reps and add weight by holding dumbbells as you grow stronger.

Here’s how to perform a standard body weight backward lunge:

1. Repeat the first step of your forward lunge.
2. Take a step backward tightening your abs and pinching your shoulders blades to keep your back straight.
3. Lower your body until your thigh (from your activated leg) is parallel to the ground and your knee is just short from hitting the ground. This time, drive up from the front of your foot activating your hamstrings.
4. Repeat this with your other leg (alternating with each rep). To prevent injury, make sure your knees are always pointed forward and not caving in or out.
5. Perform 10-15 reps and add weight by holding dumbbells as you grow stronger.

The calve raise

This exercise is one of the simplest to do, but still requires proper form to ensure the greatest muscle activation. Throw this exercise into the very end of your leg workout and force those chicken legs to grow.

Here’s how to perform a standard body weight calve raise:

1. Stand up straight with your arms at your side, squeezing your shoulder blades.
2. Slowly stand on your tippy toes at the highest position and hold this point for 5 seconds.
3. Slowly come back down for continuous calve muscle activation and repeat this process.
4. For even more muscle activation, do this exercise with you toes on a curve so your heel drops even lower. For safety purposes, have an object close by that you can grab onto since this variation requires greater balance.
5. Perform 10-15 reps and add weight by holding dumbbells as you increase in strength.

As you become experienced, you can explore more exercise variations such as sumo squat and lateral lunges for even greater gains. With these five key exercises and a spark of motivation, you too can stop skipping leg day and push yourself to build your dream physique.